From its foundation in 1768 the Royal Academy of Arts has provided a voice for art and artists. We are an independent charity led by eminent artists and architects—the Royal Academicians—and we pursue our mission through exhibitions, education and debate.

Anthony Caro RA (1924 – 2013)

Anthony Caro RA (1924 – 2013)

Anthony Caro studied at Regent Street Polytechnic and then at the Royal Academy Schools from 1947 to 1952. From 1951 to 1953 he worked as a part-time assistant to Henry Moore, and from 1953 to 1979 he taught part time at St Martin’s School of Art, London.

In 1956 he had his first solo exhibition in Milan, followed in 1957 by a solo exhibition in London. In 1958 he visited America where he met artists such as Kenneth Noland, Jules Oliski, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Motherwell and David Smith, all of whom had an influence on his work. In 1963 he had a solo exhibition of abstract steel sculptures at Whitechapel Gallery in London, and, in 1964, his first solo exhibition in New York. He continued to show work extensively in America and Europe, enjoying a retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (1975). In 1984 he had a solo exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery, London which travelled to Copenhagen, Düsseldorf and Barcelona. There was a retrospective of his work in Rome in 1992. Another retrospective exhibition was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo in 1994. ‘Caro – Sculpture From Painting’ was shown at the National Gallery, London in 1998, making Caro the first contemporary sculptor to exhibit there. In 1999 his ‘Last Judgement’ was shown at the Venice Biennale and there were further retrospectives in ‘La Pedrera’, Barcelona in 2002, Kunsthalle Würth, Schwäbisch Hall in 2004 and at Tate Britain 2005, touring to IVAM, Valencia. He received a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 1987 and an OM in 2000. He was awarded numerous Honorary Degrees and Doctorates, Awards and Prizes.

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